This is a small overview of my week, through three bullet points a day.
Everyday I’ve written;
- Something that made me happy
- Something I’d like to do again
- Something that I’ve learnt
I’m two weeks away from the British Championships. This is in Manchester at the end of the month, and is used selection for the World Championships and Commonwealth Games. I’m currently in a sort of taper situation, but still with a heavy emphasis on gym to keep developing strength throughout too.
Monday 8th January
1. Achieving a new PB in the gym. It’s a way off from where I’m aiming, but it’s going in the right direction and I can’t complain about that. Also, singing and dancing with the rest of Sprint Academy, to the ‘Greatest Showman’ soundtrack made me pretty happy today too.
2. More pull ups. These were in my S&C program a lot as a swimmer and now they have been added to my program here. I’m proud I can do them, but they can be better.
3. In a small workshop by the British Cycling Performance lifestylist, I realised that I forget I couldn’t ride the track at the start of last year. It’s easy to focus on the future and trying to always be better but being proud of how far you’ve come as an individual without social and performance comparisons is hard; especially in such an elite and world class environment. So I learnt that looking back on my own journey is just as important as looking forward at it too.
Tuesday 9th January
1. Having a lie in. Yesterday was pretty hard so I enjoyed a lie in to begin a rest day.
2. Today myself and my housemates opened our much delayed Secret Santa. We all keep missing each other due to competitions around the end of last year. Today was the first time we had got around to it. It’s definitely something I’ll be pushing to do again next year!
3. I learnt that Peaky Blinders has some significant plot twists and unexpected deaths. (S3ep3 if anyone can relate *Spoiler*). Rest days are great but if I don’t have a good series to watch or something to do my mind wonders and I begin to overthink what happened last session or the day before, so Netflix is my go-to.
Wednesday 10th January
1. Everyone wishing me Happy Birthday at the track throughout the day. Today was a ‘Special Birthday Triple Day’ with two 3hr track sessions and a gym session to top it off; so it was a long day! Absolutely shattered now.
2.On track today I was doing 2.5 lap motorbike chases. This makes it easier to ride fast, because you’re in the slipstream- but it’s pretty savage and hurts a lot especially after the fourth one. It’s a pretty new effort for me so I’m looking forward to (and dreading) doing more to get better at them.
3. I’ve learnt that even on your birthday training doesn’t get any easier; if anything it gets harder.
Thursday 11th January
1. One of my teammates; Sophie Capewell, made me an incredible unicorn cake with five layers-which were each a different colour! When she arrived at my door it was a complete surprise, and it was just before we headed out to meet up for my birthday meal in town. It was so nice of her and it tasted delicious!
2.The birthday meal with everyone that followed the ‘Suprise birthday cake reveal’ was also a highlight of my day. Looking around the 11 people on the table, I’d only known one of them more than three months, but here we were celebrating my birthday like we’d known each other for ages. It’s such a nice group and we should definitely do more group meals out.
3. I learnt that there is such a thing as a ‘Donut Burger’. Which quite literally is what it says on the tin. Reds True Barbecue. Check it out.
Friday 12th January
1. I was in Manchester shopping after training, and I actually knew my way around. I know it’s only little but it made me happy to know I’m genuinely finding my feet and learning my way around a new city.
2. Today I had a soft tissue massage and at times it was unbelievably painful. Some of my muscles were so tight I’m already booked in again for next week.
3. For a variety of reasons I learnt that communication is key. And is the answer to a lot of issues.
Milly Tanner 
I must confess I have only met you once on a visit to the UK, the image I recall is you and your dad jogging from your home to guide our motor home back to your house.
At the time I thought, there’s a father and daughter… Both keen on fitness.
Looking back, your great grandfather (my father) was into sports and played rugby for England. He could lift a hundredweight sack of produce up and down with one arm….
But I guess sport skipped a generation in the Tanner family with your grandfather Colin, Pat, Barbara and me.
But Valerie, your grandmother, can take credit for being sports motivated, and she must have created that motivation in your dad with all he achieved, and you are carrying on a sporting Tanner tradition.
I’m proud of you!
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